


I Rebel (The Resistance Will Not Be Intimidated)

by FrozenHearts



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Injury, Canon Compliant, Chains, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Humiliation, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Poe Dameron/Finn, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mentioned BB-8, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Protective K-2SO, Protectiveness, Rescue Missions, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 11:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8205716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: Rey didn't know that people could be so horrible, as she assists Poe, Finn and General Organa on a rescue mission.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to apologize in advance for this. This will not be a happy fic. Like, at all.

They found the enforcer droid first- at least, buts and pieces of it strewn in the desert sands after their TIE fighter crash-landed on Tattoine. Rey had been briefly transported back to Jakku, needing Finn's assistance before being able to even see straight.

It was while Finn was guiding her did she trip over a black piece of metal jutting out of a sand dune.

"Rey, you okay?" Finn askes, pulling her to her feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him, "I just tripped, is all." She stared at the black rod accussingly, "I mean, who leaves their junk just lying around?"

"Um, Jakku?" Finn pointed out.

Oh. Right. Rey shrugged, "Okay, well, this is not Jakku, this is... this is..." rey looked around, seeing nothing but the vast expanse if golden sand every which way. Scratching her head, Rey sighed, "Where is this, exactly?"

"Tattooine," came General Leia Organa's reply. Her voice was harsh, the word spit drom her lips like poison, "It's best if we lay low while getting parts for the ship. You never know when he'll show up."

Rey felt her skin crawl, but said nothing as Poe joined them, the visor of his helmet caked with sand and bits of what looked like shells. Reaching down, he yanked the black metal from the ground, revealing an expanse of wires and what looked like fingers attatched to it.

"Uh, General?" Poe called, This looks like a droid's arm." 

Leia had stopped stomping her way across the dunes, turning around to yell with exasperation, "What kind of droid?"

"An enforcer droid, most likely," was Poe's answer. He held the limb away from his person, the piece dangling gingery between his fingers. Rey watched curiously; it was a robot's arm, what was so wrong with it? And furthermore, who was this "he" the General had mentioned?

They trekked in awkward silence, the wond biting their cheeks and nipping at their clothes. Rey knew Tattooine was only slightly livable, but bless the soul that chose to stay here because she couldn't see any source of water for miles. She held Finn's hand as he struggled to walk (being on Jakku helped make her nimble on sand, fortunately), and Poe was just behind them, most likely ready to catch Finn if he fell.

"Alright, troops," Leia stopped short, hands on her hips, "before we go in, I need to debrief you on what's going to happen."

Rey looked over Leia's shoulder, spotting a sort of rounded rock home or cave a few feet away. The faint sound of music trickled to her ears. There were no other caves in sight. 

"Why can't we just go in there?" Finn rasped, pointing to the cave, "If they have music, they'll have food and shelter, right?"

"Tattooine is still ruled by the Hutt clan," Leia spat, "They are notorious gangsters who do not tread lightly to newcomers."

Anyone could guess that Leia had personal experience here, but Rey didn't ask. Knew she shouldn't, as Leia's eyes had turned cold and hard. She didn't know that a person's eyes could look that way, look truly angry.

So Leia told them. Of a princess who was kidnapped. Of humiliation and scorn by giant slug-like aliens. Of an unhonorable death for a despicable being. And finally, of escape, shedding the robes forced upon her by this blasted, foul monster. 

"The Resistance has reason to believe that Jabba The Hutt is possibly still alive," Leia cautioned, "so stay on your guard. We're lucky the ship crashed om the right planet anyway, or this whole mission is a bust."

Rey bit her lip. She knew things like this happened on other planets (it probably happened on Jakku too, she was just lucky enough to fight back and get away), but she never knew it could be like that. So awful that that person begged for death, to be free. She waa glad General Organa was strong, though. That she was here.

"Um, right," Finn piped up, "What is the mission exactly?"

Poe smirked, and Rey could sense the pilot's eyes linger on Finn a few seconds longer than normal. Lifting up the droid arm, he said, "Find whoever this belongs to and bring them home."

"So this is a rescue mission?" Finn said, "Like when I rescued you from Starkiller base?"

"If I remember, I rescued you from them," Poe countered playfully.

"Uh-huh. While in handcuffs, that was memorable."

Rey chuckled as Poe turned red, mumbling something before turning to Leia, "So, how's this go? We attack first? They kidnap us?"

Leia pointed to the cave, "That's a bar. It will be crowded, so blend in as best as you can. We go through the front, leave through the back once we have them with us."

Rey nodded, sighing as she eyed the cave with disdain. The jaunty music was still playing as if on a loop.

"And who exactly are we rescuing?" Finn asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"A man and a woman," Leia said, "Captain Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso. You probably saw their pictures hanging up somewhere back at base. They'll most likely be with whatever droid whose arm that is."

Rey squeezed Finn's hand reassuringly at the hopeless look on his face.

"Don't worry," Rey said, fighting the fear in her tone, "we'll get them out."

\---

Poe ushered Finn behind him, slinking by against the wall as Rey made attempts to distract the bartender so they could slip past. Finn's hand was gripping his so tightly, he thought bones would break (he didn't know how Stormtroopers trained, they may be ridiculously strong for all he knew,) but it felt nice. Poe knew that someone would be with him, every step of the way.

"You sure we're going the right way?" Finn said in a hushed whisper, "I can't tell one wall from the other!"

Poe nodded, shushing him, "General Organa knows her way around this place. We'll be fine."

And if they weren't, they always had their blasters in their holsters. Poe felt his against his hip, heavy as he moved so incredibly slowly. Leia had said that there'd be rooms in the back where Jabba.... well, Poe didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to know. But now, he and Finn were passing multiple rooms, each one as empty as the last.

"So, how long until Rey can't distract them anymore?" Finn said.

"Rey knows how to handle herself, Finn," Poe said, "she'll be fine. Besides, General Organa won't let anything happen to her."

"But she'll let something happen to us? I don't want to die in some slug monster's brothel!"

Poe turned around, the horror evident in Finn's eyes. Looking him dead in the eyes, Poe said bluntly, "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Ever."

Poe could feel the heat rising to his face as Finn just stared. They were like that for a few seconds, with Poe gripping Finn's arms, gazing into one another's eyes before Finn finally nodded.

"Thank you," he said softly. Poe grinned, clapping Finn's shoulder. The leather of his jacket was coarse against the palm of his hands, blisteres from gripping the controls of the TIE fighter.

"Ready to save some rebels, then?"

Finn cocked his blaster, flicking the safety off.

"The Resistance will not be intimidated by the likes of Jabba the Hutt. Let's go."

Poe nodded, his cheeks hurting as he turned an even deeper scarlet. If BB-8 were here, the droid would tease him to no end right now, and then give away their location.

"Remind me to buy you dinner when this is all over," Poe blurted.

Finn beamed, "Will do. Let's shoot this asshole full of lasers first, though."

Poe nodded, raising his blaster, "Right. Let's go."

"I already said that."

"I know, I just need to trick myself into thinking I know what I'm doing."

Yeah. BB-8 definitely would have blown their cover, Poe mused, following Finn down the hall to a room in the very back.

\-----

Finn found thr scrap of fabric lying at the doorframe, half buried in the sandy floor. Upon inspection, he could see a green emblem, two circles embossed in the faded, crinkly leather.

He stuffed the fabric into his pocket. It most likely meant that ths Cassian and Jyn couple were still here. Either that, or the janitor had missed garbage day. As he and Poe neared the back alcove, Finn could count gold chains rattling empty against the walls. Trunks were puahed up against the walls.on either side of the hallway, leaving very little room to walk. The trunks themselves, as Finn learned by tipping one open, were full of gold metal and red cloth.

"These are slave clothes," Poe explained when Finn picked one up. The gold clasps were heavy, the red bits of cloth extremely sheer, not there for any particular use.

"So, what? You think Cassian and Jyn ae being forced into slavery?" Finn askes. Poe clicked his tongue, taking the clothes and throwing them to the dirt. With the toe of his boot, he buried the cloth deeper into the sand.

"I wouldn't put it past Jabba the Hutt to do any less to them." Poe growled, "Leia wants to bring this place down one day, just burn it to the ground and never look back. From what I've seen so far, I'll gladly help in destroying it."

Finn gently squeezed Poe's shoulder. The pilot looked close to tears, sadness and anger fo those who most likely didn't make it, Finn supposed.

"Hey, it's okay," Finn said, "we're going to get them out. Remember? The Resistance will not be intimidated."

Poe nodded, his breathing shaky. Finn was right. Cassian and Jyn needed them, and they couldn't help if he was a mess. He spat at the trunks.before spinning on hia heel and stalking further down the corridor, jumping when he heard a yell, followed by the sound of a punch or slap. He held a hand up, palm pressed against Finn's chest to stop him in his tracks.

"Listen," Poe warned, "I think it's them."

The sound was muffled, but there was no mistaking a woman crying, gasping as a man shouted and wailed. They had to be Cassian and Jyn. The other voice was too deep, too slimy to be human or droid.

"Jabba's in there with them," Poe said, raising his blaster, "it doesn't sound good."

"Are Cassian and Jyn alive?" Finn asked, readying his weapon.

Poe craned his neck, sweat slick on his skin as he tried listening. He could hear Cassian giving out a string of curses littered with Jyn's name, but he couldn't hear her.

He couldn't hear Jyn.

"Cassian, yes," Poe breathed, "Jyn, I don't know. I can't hear her."

Squaring his shoulders. Poe held his weapon at arms length, Finn right on his heels as they slipped undetected into the alcove. It wasn't so much a room as it was a cave, with tall ceilings and wide floors. Stalagmites and stalactites littered the edges of the room. Poe could never really tell the difference, and right now, it didn't matter, as he and Finn jumped behind a boulder to avoid Jabba's slithering gaze.

"Come on, Captain Andor," Jabba's voice boomedand echoed, "You know I had to do it. She wouldn't do what she was told."

Poe sneaked a look, his gaze falling on a young man with brown hair. He was hunched over a woman, cradling her lovingly as he sat on the ground a few feet from the slug. 

"Jyn shouldn't have died like this," Cassian sobbed, "No, no, no...."

Shit, crap, fuck. Kriff, and damn it all to hell. Poe grit his teeth as he watched Jabba slither closer to Cassian, who glared defiantly, shielding Jyn from view.

"If you don't want to die as your girlfriend did," Jabba sounded angry, his words biting, "you will fill her place."

Even from where he and Finn hid, Poe could see the blood in Cassian's mouth as he spit at the alien.

"And be your personal whore?" Cassian barked, "No."

Jabba made a noise, "Now, Cassian. You don't have your droid with you for much longer. He needs to be fixed. Take Jyn's place and we'll fix him for you."

Poe thought back to the arm from the desert. That made more sense, if the droid was with Cassian when he had been captured. Poe could feel Finn tense behind him, ready to shoot.

"How are we gonna kill him?" Finn whispered, his breath warm on Poe's skin, "Poe, I don't think Rey can distract the bartender for much longer!"

"I know, I know!" Poe shot back, scanning the far wall. It had to be there. If Jabba said the droid was still here it must be hiding, blending in before striking down his opponent.

After roving the far wall a third time, he saw it. Two white circles on a black metal body. Poe could see the sparks from where the wires were exposed, the arm having been ripped off.

"I see your robot has decided to come out of hiding," Jabba announced, "What if I reprogram it? To enforce my rules upon you like it should?" 

Poe stared at the droid as it emerged from the shadows, standing tall as it jerked its way over to Cassian and Jyn, standing over them protectively. The droid let its eye wander before Poe found himself staring into the sensors.

They had to move. Now. Poe was just about to grab Finn's hand when Jabba suddenly lunged forward, obscuring all but the droid's head from view. Locking eyes, Poe held a finger to his lips. Thankfully, the droid nodded, struggling to bat the massive slug away with a single spindly limb, failing miserably.

"Poe?" Finn asked, "Now what?"

Poe breathed heavily. In, out. Inhale, exhale. Jabba cackled as he moved, revealing a thick gold chain around Cassian's neck, so heavy the captain had to bow his head.

"It isn't much, but it will have to do," Jabba sneered, tugging on the chain to earn a sore cry from his captive, "What do you say we go entertain, hmmm?"

No. No, Poe had to stop him, he and Finn had to move, but what would they do? Poe waited with baited breath for Cassian's reply, heaving a sigh of relief when the man finally spoke.

"I rebel."

Jabba made a noise, yanking the chain harshly, "Come, now. You're pretty for a human. Don't you want to be treated nice?"

The answer, however, was the same.

"I rebel. I rebel, I rebel, I r-"

Poe tensed as Cassian choked, teh chain looking as if it were too tight around his neck.

Poe caught the droid's eye once more, giving it a curt nod before turning to Finn, "Come on, buddy."

"We gonna shoot him or what?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow.

Poe shrugged, "I'd say or what, but shooting works too. We need to contacf Rey and General Organa though, but I think it'll be okay."

Finn screwed up his nose and Poe found himself blushing again as he asked, "What do you mean, it'll be okay?"

Poe stood up, shooting one last look at Cassian's droid. It was looking at him curiously, Cassian struggling to breath as Jabba taunted him. 

"Cassian's droid has a plan. Ready?"

\-----

Leia was grateful when Poe messaged her, finally able to pull Rey away from the bar where some sort of fly-camel hybrid alien was attempting to chat her up. At first it had been amusing, but it soon turned creepy and Rey looked grateful to finally be going somewhere.

"I am never doing that again," Rey admonished as Leia pulled herbtiwards the back, where Jabba kept his slaves. The general did whatever she could to avoid vomiting, but found it difficult as they passed each empty room. It was the same as it had been last time, when she'd been on Tattoine. 

"General Organa, this way!" Rey called, pulling her out of her thoughts as they turned a corner. She could hear yelling and the sound of blasters coming from the alcove just ahead and she surged forward, almost tripping over the sickeningly familiar trunks of gold metal and red silk.

She swallowed whatever bile had come up to visit as she skidded to a stop right at the entrance. She held a hand out, warning Rey to stop.

"What-?" Rey started, gasping at the shouting. It was a male voice, most likely belonging to Cassian as he shoutes two words, over and over like a broken record.

"I REBEL!"

Leia nodded. Good. Jabba hadn't fully broken the man yet. She knew Poe and Finn were inside, at the ready, as well as an enforcer droid (which was odd, considering Jabba could have been using it to bend Cassian to his will. Or Jyn. The thought made her shudder.)

"Alright, Rey," Leia coughed, "remember, we go in, start shooting. Poe and Finn will come out and try to escort Cassian and Jyn to safety. Got it?"

Rey nodded, her eyes stormy as she fiddled with the safety on her blaster. Leia gave her a small smile; she wished Han was here. He'd be able to calm her nerves, go headfirst into the fight and come out unscathed.

But he wasn't here. So that left her and the Resistance. She was just about to run in when she heard Jabba's unmistakable screech of "YOU BIT ME! KRIFF!"

Rey then ran in, gun raised and firing despite Leia having not given the signal. So she followed, pleased when her first shot landed smack in the middle of Jabba's face. He let go of his prisoner immediately, the chain clanking loudly as he fell to the ground.

"Rey!"

Leia and Rey turnes to find Finn skirting the edges of the room, "Rey, General!"

"We're fine!" Rey called back, "Get Cassian and Jyn!"

Infuriated, Jabba grabbed the chain, holding tightly as Finn and Poe tried to get closer. Leia could see Cassian's droid stumbling towards the group, it's hand reaching for its master. Leia sighed in releif as it managed just in time to shield Cassian from Jabba's angry fist.

The sound was enough to rattle her bones.

"General, General!" Poe wheezed, charging towarda her, "Jyn... Jyn i-Jyn is dead, we ca-came too late....!"

Leia balked, her mouth a thin line. She let herself survey the battleground until she found the body. Brown hair was strewn like a halo aiund her head, her dark blue jumpsuit ripped and muddied. Her neck was at an odd angle, and Leia froze as she stared into the glassy green-gray eyes, wide and filled with defiance.

And then she found herself head-on with the droid, the robot beeping frantically as it dragged Cassian towards her. Cassian was fighting him, reaching for Jyn, shouting until his voice was hoarse.

"I rebel, Jyn! Jyn!"

The droid was successful, and Cassian crumpled at her feet, tugging at the thick gold chain. Leia knrw such a chain. She remembered wearing one similar, a long time ago. Slowly, she knelt next to Cassian, taking his hands in hers, skimming her nails along the collar until she came across the lock.

"Cassian?" Leia said loudly, trying to ignore the sounds of Jabba's screams. From the corner of her eye, she could see Finn, Poe and Rey closing in on the alien, shooting him down quickly, fervently. Cassian ignored her, muttering under his breath, "I rebel, I rebel, I rebel...."

With one final screech, Leia knew Jabba was truly dead. She focused on Cassian, his erratic breathing and tear stained cheeks. His clothes were dirtied nd ripped in various places, streaks of blood on his cheeks and lip. A bruise flowered over his left eye, flaring out towards his temple.

"Is he okay?" Poe asked, kneeling next to Leia. Leia picked her head up, seeing Rey and Finn communicating with Cassian's droid, sitting with Jyn's dead body.

"Cassian?" Leia tried again, "Captain Cassian Andor, I am General Leia Organa. My friends and I are here to rescue you. Do you understand?"

The haunted look in the captain's eye chilled Leia to her core. His brown eyes, while defiant, were almost empty, dazed and unfocused. His lips were chapped and cracked, and he licked them thrice before croaking out a weak, "Jyn... Jyn told me about y-you..."

Leia smiled sadly, "Jyn was very brave. Me and my team are here to help you. Can we help you?"

Cassian groaned with a tug at the chain, "K-Kaytoo..."

Poe raised an eyebrow, "Is that your droid?"

Cassian nodded, his eyes darting to his droid friend, "H-Hey-"

Leia rubbed his back. She could feel where Jabba must have hit him, or where people must have hurt him judging by the tender skin, the dark stains dotting his jacket and crusting there.

Leia watched as Poe called for Kaytoo, and the droid ambled over to sit beside Cassian. Cassian leaned against the droid, his body sagging against his friend as Kaytoo went to work on the chain. After a few minutes it fell away, Cassian gulping whatever air he could.

"Alright, hon," Leia said soothingly, "deep breaths, that's it."

Cassian panted against the droid, squeezing his eyes shut as he began to cry. Poe glanced at the floor, and Leia was grateful that Rey and Finn were taking care to bury Jyn. 

She didn't know what to do if Cassian asked where Jyn was on the way back to the Resistance base. They couldn't bring a corpse, she knew, but she didn't want to bury her in this hell-hole.

Jyn died a hero, so Leia would make sure that she'd get a burial worthy of any hero in the galaxy. She'd make sure to fix this Kaytoo, give him a medal for working to keep his captain as safe as possible in the given situation. She wasn't sure if droids were allowed to receive medals, but then she was never one for following protocol.

Leia stared over Kaytoo's shoulder at Jabba's dead green body, smoke rising from blaster inflicted wounds. With her head held high, shes suddenly remembered the mantra Cassian was yelling. Her voice was shaky as she said it to no one in particular. She knew they needed to hear it at the moment and many times more in the future.

"Cassian Andor," Leia stated, meeting Rey and Finn's gazes from across the room, "You have done well in preserving what the Resistance and the Rebel alliance stand for."

Cassian looked startled, hunched forward. Kaytoo was rubbing his back, Cassian grasping the droid's one hand as if it were a lifeline and he would drown if he let go.

"Always remember this: the Resistance will never be intimidated. Always remember that you have a home at our base."

Cassian opened his mouth to reply, instead gasping out, "All I ask for now is safety and that Jyn be given a proper burial."

Leia nodded, slinging one of Cassian's arms over her shoulder until he collapsed a few steps, and Kaytoo supported him as they sneaked their way out the back of the hovel.

They left the chain to rot alongside Jabba's body, none of his patrons being any the wiser to their escape. 

**Author's Note:**

> Whoomp, there it is.


End file.
